Musical bell.



J. C. DBAGAN.

MUSIGAL BELL.

PPLIoATIoN FILED 1111.11.14. 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

'rms NoRms PETERS ca., wAsHlNaTDN. D. c.

' ed by the trunnion supports JOHN C. DEAGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL BELL.

Original application filed April 11, 1908, Serial No. 426,593.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1911. Divided and this application filed March 14,

Serial No. 549,224.

To @Z3 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. DEAGAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Musical Bells, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments, the present application being a division of my original application Serial No. 426,593, ined april 11,1908.

My present invention relates to the provision of mechanism for modifying the sound emitted by a sound producing element.

The novel features disclosed in the present application will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing showing one way of practicing the invention, and in whichk Figure l is a sectional view on line 1 1 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the diierent figures.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, a plurality of tubular resonating elements a is employed, though the invention is not to be thus restricted. The tubular elements a, when struck, will be set into vibration so as to emit musical sounds. Each of these tubular resonating elements is provided with trunnion pins Z) support- A pair of pillows c is provided for each resonating element a, these pillows possessing suitable blocks of cushion material against which the corresponding tube is adapted to rest, the trunnion supports ZJ defining an aXis of movement for each tube being interposed between the pillows c c, whereby the bodily swing of each resonating tube about its axis is limited without impairing the vibratory qualities of the tube. The pillows c c serve, as'has been suggested, to hold the tube engaged thereby substantiallystationary, though permitting sufficient movement of said tube when struck as to allow the tube to vibrate. I have illustrated several tubes in the embodiment of the invention shown and have employed mechanism for simultaneously striking the tubes, so that the tubes, which are of differing lengths, may ointly produce a sound similar to that of a large cathedral bell. there a plurality of resonating tubes is employed, I desirably provide a hammer e for eachsitube, each of these hammers being carried by an arm c journaled at its rear end upon a pivot rod c2, the pivoted ends of the arms e being received in slots provided in a block e3, through which slots the pivotal rod c2 also passes, the slots permitting the pivoted ends of the arms e2 to play therein. A striking lever f, suitably curved and mounted, is adapted for simultaneous engagement with all of the arms e', whereby the resonating tubes may be simultaneously struck. A horizontal portion of this striking lever lies underneath the arms e, so that when the lever f is operated, said arms are raised to force the hammers against the resonating tubes. rIhe lever f may project outwardly and be provided with an enlargement f that may be struck by the hand in order to eect the operation of the striking lever and which is also provided with an ear f2, to which a cord may be attached if it should be desired to place the instrument out of reach, a pull upon the cord enabling the operation of the striking lever. I preferably rely upon momentum to complete the final movement of the hammers, to which end the arms e carrying the hammers are desirably formed in sections, the section g 'immediately supporting each hammer being pivoted at its rear end to its companion section of the arm e. A suitable stop 7L is provided, against which a projection carried by the arm e', such as a screw L, may strike when the striking lever 7 is actuated, thev portions `It it being so related that the hammers cannot reach the resonating elements a upon a very slow movement of the operating lever f. When, however, a quick movement is given to the operating lever, the momentum acquired by the* hammers will be sufcient t0 cause movement of said hammers and the arm sections g supporting the same with respect to the arms e, so that the vibrating elements a will be impinged upon by the hammers with a force that is nicely adapted to sounding the vibrating elements, the hammers falling back from the vibrating elements as soon as they have struck the vibrating elements, so that said hammers do not damp the sound they occasion in. the vibrating elements a. To further insure the short duration of the contact of the hammers ivith the vibrating elements a, l provide springs g which tend to maintain the sections c oic the arms in line, but Which yield to the momentum acquired by the han'imers c and ivhich cooperate with gravity in restoring the hammers after they have struck the sound-producing elements. It it should be desired to damp the sound produced by the resonating elements, .l may attach a sound-damping element z' to the operating lever the operating lever serving to apply the damper i to the resonating elements vvhen said lever is released.

provide a tremolo element 7'; which, when set into motion, is adapt-ed to vibrate of itself ai'fter it is set into operation to re-act gainst the sound vvaves emitted by the instrument, in a manner to effect a tremolo sound. This tremolo element t* may be set into motion in any suitable or preferred ivay and may be associated ivith any selected portion oit the instrument .vhere said element n'ill have effect. The embodiment ot the invention herein shoivn includes structural eh: 'acteristics embraced Within the scope ot my latent No. 818,874, dated April 2e, 1906, which structural characteristics include t\vo longitudii'ial slots Z in each tube and an opening m in each tube Jracing the plane in which Vthe said slots lie. the said openings being at that portion oi the tube where the slots terminate. l desirably locate the plate before these openings m, as l am thereby able to secure the best results, though l do not Wish to be limited to this location of said plate. rllhe plate 7c is desirably automatically operated when the tubes a are struck y the hammers e, to which end one of the arms e may carry a rod a having its upper end projecting into the range oit 'the plate Ze, so that ivhen the arms e are elevated in response to the movement of the actu ating lever, the striking rod` a is also lifted to engage the plate 7c to set this plate into motion Jr'or the purpose stated. T desirably canse the striking rod u to have direct engagement With the plate by attaching said striking rod to the section f/ oi one of the arms e, as indicated by the dotted lines showing the concealed continuation oit the loiver end of rod n ivhere it joins part g, Fig. Q being an irregular section. Gravity and the spring g cooperate to remove said rod trom engagement With the plate 7J aiter said plate has been struck by said rod.

inasmuch as the sound issues in large volume through the openings m, l associate With these openings suitable mechanism Yfor regulating the volume of sound issuing therethrough. ln short, l provide a valve in association ivith each tube, ivhich valve may be adjusted in position to regulate the amount ot issuing sound. The valve is desirably in the t'orm ot a curved plate 0 having a curvature that conori'ns somewhat to the curvature oli the tube, but When not under stress, of lesser diameter than such tube, all as set forth in my original application.

Irs shown, the mechanism is mounted upon and Within a box j), and, if desired, this box may be set in an inclined position, for ivhich purpose the bottom of the box may be provided ivith an easel leg g.

lt is obvious that changes may readily be made in the device oit my invention herein shown and particularly described Without departing from the spirit oi: the invention, but, having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:-

l. il slotted tubular sound-producing element, and a tremolo element which ot itsclt adapted to continue in vibration aitcr being` set into vibration and provided for modifying the sound emitted by the soundproducing element, said tubular element having an opening in its tubular Wall through which the sound may be emitted, said opening being located in the unslottcd portion of the sound producing clement, the trcmolo element being located before said opening.

2. A tubular sound producing element, and a trcmolo element iviiich is et itself adapted to continue in vibration after being set into vibration and provided 'i'or modifying the sound emitted by the sound producing element, said tubular element. having an opening in its tubular Wall through which the sound may be emitted, the tremolo element being located before said opening.

8. A slotted tubular sound producing element, and a tremolo element for moditving the sound emitted by the sound producing element, said tubular element having an opening in its tubular ivall through Which the sound may be emitted, said opening being located in the unslotted portion oi the sound producing` element, the tremolo elcment being located betere said opening.

ln ivitness whereof, hereunto subscribe my name this eighth day of March, A. D,

JOI-DT C. DEAGAN. Witnesses G. L. CRAGG,

R. E. ATi-rnR'roN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

